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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27173707">Finale</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/fantaque/pseuds/fantaque'>fantaque</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>N.Flying (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 01:55:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,234</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27173707</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/fantaque/pseuds/fantaque</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>He was a genius pianist but was left an orphan in a tragic accident.  Angry and bitter, he didn’t want anything to do with anyone in the orphanage.  But one day, she was brought home in a wheelchair, weak and in pain.  And for the first time in a year, he once again played a song from his heart.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Finale</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>At only eight, Seolhee had been through several surgeries and treatments.  She had barely survived her earlier years and now has been surviving only through the kindness of donations towards the orphanage she was put in.  Her mother died during childbirth and her father died several days after, the mother superior of the orphanage often tells her, of a broken heart.  So, she was left in the care of St. Michael’s home for children in Daegu as a newborn.</p><p>Lee Seunghyub on the other hand, lost his parents to a car crash only a year before.  He had blamed himself as they were on their way to his piano recital.  He was a genius, you see, being able to play classical pieces by Beethoven, Rachmaninoff and Chopin.  But since his parents died, leaving him in the care of an orphanage, he had not touched a piano for several months.  He became an angry child, he didn’t want friends nor did he speak to anyone.</p><p>Everyone was afraid of him, he would shout at the orphanage staff and often threatened the other children. But Seolhee was determined to be his friend.  She would quietly sit beside him in the common room and he got used to her presence.</p><p>Except one day, Seolhee was brought home, weak and in pain after her treatment.  She had asked to stay in the common room, where an old keyboard was sat in a corner.  She played twinkle twinkle little star and he saw her smile despite her pain.  So, he approached her and asked if she wanted him to play for her. The first song he ever played to her, One Summer’s Day, a song from a movie the orphanage put on for them a month ago.  She looked at his hands in awe as he played, he had learned it by ear.</p><p>“Mother Superior had mentioned you played the piano well,” she said, breathlessly.  She looked up at him.  “I never expected this.”</p><p>“My parents,” he said quietly, as his fingers glided through the keyboard.  “They paid for lessons as soon as they saw me take interest in the toy piano they got me.” It was the first time in a year he had spoken this gently to anyone and he felt like a heavy burden was lifted from his heart when she smiled at him. She fell asleep on his shoulder that day and he didn’t dare move from where they sat.  He kept playing all the songs he knew and even played random notes that he felt would work together.  </p><p>--</p><p>One day, when she was in the common room with Seunghyub who was playing her recent favorite, Moonlight Sonata, Mother Superior called for her.  “Seolhee, dear,” Mother Superior’s voice was gentle.  “Can I speak with you for a moment?” </p><p>“Go,” Seunghyub encouraged her when she hesitated.  “I feel like it’s good news, don’t you?”</p><p>“Okay,” she took a deep breath to steady herself and followed the nun into her office.</p><p>Seunghyub continued to play and play for what seemed like hours waiting for her to come back.  But only after thirty  minutes, she walked in with a sad smile.  </p><p>“Hyubie,” she called to him gently and he stood up worried.</p><p>“Are you ok?” He asked immediately, taking her hand in his.  “What did she say?”</p><p>“I’m going to be adopted.” She cried, her grip on his hand tightening.  “I don’t want to.”</p><p>“This is good news!” Seunghyub forced himself to smile for her.  He didn’t want his best friend to leave but he knew that it was for her sake.  She needed a family, a home.  Especially with her condition.  This way he knows she will be taken care of.  “Seolhee! This is great!” He swept her into his arms and managed to spin her around.  When he put her down, he immediately grabbed her hand and pulled her to their sleeping quarters.  “I’ll help you pack!”</p><p>Several minutes later, they stood face to face at the entrance of the orphanage.  Her adoptive parents stood behind her as Seolhee and Seunghyub said their goodbyes.  “I’m going to miss you.” she told him as he pulled her into one last hug. “Will we meet again sometime?”</p><p>“Sure we will,” he whispered.  “I promise.”</p><p>And when she stepped into her new parents’ car, Seunghyub gave her one last promise.  “I promise, I’ll write a song for you! I’ll get adopted and I’ll play it for you in a grand stage!”</p><p>Except… he never was adopted and Seolhee never received replies to her letters.</p><p>---</p><p>“Did you see his last shot?!” Seolhee’s friend, Eunjung, excitedly as they exited the school gym.  “He was so cool! He totally won that game!”</p><p>“Yes, yes, he was,” Seolhee laughed at Eunjung who had dragged her to see her crush play basketball.  “And he totally looked at you after.”</p><p>“He did, didn’t he?!” Eunjung squealed and continued to talk about her crush as they walked home.</p><p>But Seolhee stopped, she thought she heard something and turned to Eunjung.</p><p>“Hey, I need to stop by somewhere, ok?” Seolhee told her friend and without waiting for a reply, ran off into a different street.</p><p>Her ears lead her to an abandoned building and when she stood at the threshold, she heard it more clearly, One Summer’s Day.  Her heart skipped a beat.  After seven years, was this really him? </p><p>She took a calming breath and despite all the flight warnings of her brain, she entered the building.  The clicking of an old piano grew louder and louder in her ears and the notes became clearer and clearer.  She skipped around a plank covered in rusty nails and started to climb the stairs.  It creaked under her weight but she was determined to find the source of the music.  It can’t be him, can it?</p><p>She found the room on the fourth floor where the music was coming from and in the corner she saw an old baby grand piano. She put a hand to her mouth in disbelief.  She recognized his back despite it being much wider and his shoulders much broader.  She watched as his body moved with every note he played and she felt tears run down her cheeks.  There was no doubt, it was him.  </p><p>“Hyubie,” she called before she could stop herself.  </p><p>The music stopped almost immediately and he stood in haste to turn.  Seolhee saw his jaw tighten as he saw her.  “Hyubie,” she called him again when he didn’t move or speak.</p><p>It seemed that was what broke his initial shock and his expression turned angry.  “What are you doing here?!” Seunghyub screamed at her and her initial reaction was to step back, startled.  “BE CAREFUL!” he lunged forward when he saw where her foot was about to land, a hole in the floor.</p><p>He was able to grab her upper arm before she fell backward, right down the flight of stairs behind her.  “You’re still clumsy!” he scolded as he pulled her forward and made sure she was stable before letting go.</p><p>“Is it really..?” she was still in disbelief as she raised a hand to touch his face.  He stopped her with a hand to her wrist and turned his face away.  He wasn’t exactly clean as he has been living in the streets since he ran away from the orphanage. </p><p>“You should go home, this building is not safe.” He told her as he led her down the stairs.  She tried to talk to him but he remained silent.</p><p>As soon as they reached the bottom of the stairs, she pulled away in anger.  “You stopped writing to me! You never came to see me! Like you promised!” She glared as hot tears ran down her face.</p><p>“Look at me,” he gestured to himself in his torn and dirty clothes and his rugged face.  “I didn’t really have the means to come see you.”</p><p>“What happened?” she asked and stepped forward, wanting to touch his face just to be sure he was real.  He stepped away from her touch again and didn’t answer her.  She let out a frustrated sigh, “Come with me.” </p><p>“No one wants me,” he told her bitterly.  Then he turned his back on her, “Go home, Seolhee.”</p><p>“Come with me!” she repeated stubbornly.  “Just please, trust me!” </p><p>“Go home.”</p><p>“No!” she stomped her feet like an indignant child. He rolled his eyes at her after he turned to see her cross her arms.  “I’m not leaving. I will follow you everywhere until you come with me!”</p><p>He found himself in a grand living room, it seemed Seolhee was adopted by a wealthy couple.  He stood in front of her parents beside her and he fidgeted nervously.  “Mom, dad,” Seolhee smiled up at them as she put a hand on his arm.  He wanted to pull away, ashamed to be standing in such a beautiful house in his state.  “You remember Seunghyub?”</p><p>Her father narrowed his eyes at Seunghyub, suspicious.  “Honey, are you sure it’s him?”  he asked.</p><p>“Yes!” She exclaimed excitedly and pulled him towards the grand piano by the fireplace.  She pushed him to sit and gestured for him to play. “Play something,” she told him.</p><p>And he did.</p><p>That year, he was sponsored by her parents.  They got him an apartment near their home and gave him an allowance and they were able to grant him a musical scholarship at her school.  He was a rising star, prestigious music colleges and orchestras began scouting him.  He was even booked to play for the president of South Korea’s birthday.  </p><p>“Seolhee!” His screams of excitement resonated in Seolhee’s home and Seolhee’s parents laughed as he met her in a hug by the foot of the stairs and spun her around.  “Look!” He held a piece of paper in her face when he set her down.  “I’m having a tour in Europe with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra as the lead pianist!!”</p><p>“Oh my god!” she leaped into his arms in happiness.  “Congratulations!”</p><p>“Congratulations,” Seolhee’s mother beamed proudly as Seunghyub hugged her too.  “Seolhee never doubted you.”</p><p>--</p><p>He was on tour for half a year but everyday, he would call her and even facetime with her if their schedules matched up.  Every city he visited, he got her a souvenir and every day she would tell him how proud of him she was.  </p><p>He was scheduled to return to Korea exactly six months but his school asked him to enter a competition in Spain.</p><p>“You should go,” Seolhee advised him during a voice call through Kakao Talk. “It could open more doors for you.”</p><p>“It’s  been half a year, Seolhee.” he hesitated, he missed her.  “I  miss you.”</p><p>“I miss you, too,” he could feel the sad smile in her voice.  “But I’ll still be here when you return.”</p><p>“Promise?” </p><p>“Promise,” she swore, he could tell she was crying. “Now, go.  Win a trophy and bring it back home. Okay?”</p><p>“‘Okay.”</p><p>--</p><p>He wanted to surprise Seolhee, so he didn’t call her to let her know he was returning to Korea.  With the trophy in his hands, he entered her parents’ grand home, excited to show her the trophy and a full scholarship to Korea National University of Arts. </p><p>He expected to see her waiting for him in the living room, for sure the staff had informed her as soon as he crossed the gates.  But he was met by her father and he looked tired.</p><p>“Seunghyub,” her father greeted her with a sad smile and enveloped  him in a hug.  “We heard you had won.” He sounded so proud but Seunghyub can’t get over the sadness in his eyes.  “She’s so happy.”</p><p>“Where is she?” Seunghyub asked and then he heard it.  The squeaks of the wheels he had hoped to never hear again as her mother pushed her wheelchair into the living room.</p><p>“Hyubie,” he felt his heart drop to his feet.  She was pale and thin, her arms were covered in bandages and IV drips were attached to her wheelchair.  “I knew you could do it.” But her smile was still as beautiful as the sun.  </p><p>“Yeah,” he forced himself to smile as he knelt in front of her, putting the scholarship documents on her lap and helping her hold the trophy.  “You believed in me.”</p><p>She caressed his face, her eyes tired but filled with pride.  “You promised me a song.” She reminded him.  “Can you play it for me?” He forced himself to calm down, he somehow knew why she was asking this.  </p><p>He nodded, taking the papers and trophy from her and handed them over to her mother who was already crying in her father’s arms.  He knew.  But he would not show her weakness.  She had always been his strength.  Now was the time for him to be hers.  </p><p>He wheeled her over to the grand piano, the same piano that changed his fate several years ago when she asked him to play for her parents.  He gently lifted her from the wheelchair and laid her on the cushioned surface of the piano chair and sat beside her.</p><p>And as he played the piano, she gently laid her weight on him.  He didn’t hold back his tears as he felt her breathing slow down.  </p><p>With the last notes of the song he had written for her, she was gone.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I recommend listening to One Summer's Day by Joe Hisaishi while reading the first few parts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpXnIXP6j78</p><p>And listening to May Be by Yiruma during the last 2 parts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlitjMNaZPw</p></blockquote></div></div>
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